Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-07-15


the Pacific side a little north Of the Gaut"nnlau
boundary. Undermining this curious tale will be-
found, as the narrative proceeds, a quiet vein Of
genuine humor, which Is very rrlishablr.
CHAPTER L--AZrLAN TO zAPOTLAN.
You may have noticed in the papers the
name Of prominent Americana. who died,
last winter in New York He was a lin
glist and AN antiquarian. ! met him first
in Mexico, in its famous capital, whittier he
had gone to examine certain papers in the
archives Of Bibiofccr NdcicHdL Another
friend was with him, one with whom / had
iourneyed in Yucatan, amongst its wonder
ful ruins They were then preparing for
an expedition into the wild hill country of
Southern Mexico, IA trip SO full Of promise
of adventure that became the third mem
her of their party soon as asked. Their
object-that mattered little; | shifted "A
good time in prospective weeks in the sal
die camp fires in unexpected forests and
a misty lure Of gold and silver mines when
other things should fail Three days tray
el due south from the line of the Mexican
railway at point where the volcano Of
Orizaba rises nearest it, brought us TO the
capital city Of Oaxaca, the ancient Int,
guerra. Oaxaca was once the seat Of that
famous tribe Of Indians, the Iapotecs
whose civilization raised them to be- equals
Of the Aztecs when at the zenith Of their
power. The Zapotecs comprise the greater
portion Of the population Of the Indian
city, and, in wilder state, Of the residents
Of the country. They dwell, now, chiefly
in the hill country, and are known as SER
ramos, or mountaineers uncouquered free
men, who have never yet felt the yoke Of
bondage. Our chef-my now deceased
friend had set out with the determination
Of Wrestling from these Sc,rduns a secret, n
sacredly kept tradition, which had been
guarded 10y them with jealous care for three
centuries and half
lie divulgcd to me the object Of the eX-
petition, when we were fairly beyond the
lines Of civilization and taking our first
midday rest on a hill the southern slope of
which stretched away towards a struggling
| Indian village.
For long years, be told me, he had had in
mind the very search in which We were en-
gagged. Ten years before he was Secretary
Of Legation, in Mexico, when he employed
all his spare time in hunting up old and rare
books having already thorough acquaint-
anco with Spanish, through long residence
in Uruguay. Mexico was full of literary
treasures at that time, just after the many
Old converts had been dcspoiled and the
thousands of parchment covered books ac.
cumulatyl during three centuries Of mon
astic rule, were brought to the light Of day.
Among those secured 10y my friend were
several very ancient, containing yaluabl,
information regarding the mines and forest
lands one, in particular, related the story
Of the first finding Of gold by the Spaniards,
| Immediately after the Conquest. This book
had taken such a hold upon him that for ten
years he had ruminated over its contents
it had been his constant companion in
many journeys he had poured over it un
til he had at last, he thought, obtained sucl
information as would lead him 10 the locali
ty Of the first gold obtained in Mexico 10y
miners under Spanish direction.
Sitting beneath the pines of that southern
| slope with an ardent sun heating through
the pine needles above and stamping upon
the lcaf-carpeted soil n varied pattern in
| tlickering shadow, our chief produced hi,
cherished volume. 1t was truly treasure
Of itself, bound in antique vellum, and bore
upon its back in faded letters Of gold Cdrta,
de Cortes These, said the chief-whon
| | may as well designate as B.-"are thust
famous letters from Cortes No -, his SOW
eregn, Carlos V, written in the field anc
at intervals during the siege of Mexico il
his second letter, written in the year 1921
you will find the information which guide,
me. Herein he relates the story of tn,
capture of Montezuma, and the manner il
which, after having taken him prisoner, h,
proceeded To eXtort from him information
| regarding the sources of his wealth.
om-full of treasure was divided amongst
the Spaniards when they obtained posses
sion of Montezuma gold, wrought int
beautiful images, hammered into vessels OF
| fanciful shape, and cast in bars. This wa,
| chiefly the accumulation of warrior king,
who had preceded Montezumn, and partcu
larly of Axayacatl, his royal father, tn,
dreaded Water face, who had led hi,
armies far south of Tehaumtepec, even t,
Guatemala. All the Aztec treasure wa
in gold, since they knew not how to ex
tract silver from its hiding in the rock
and, moreover, it was mainly obtained from
the rivers, in grains, or in nuggets from
placers.
"With supreme contempt for the cupidi
ty of Cort6s and his band, Montemma, see
ing that the Spaniards valued gold so highly
as to he ready to shed blood for its acqusi
ton, offered TO show them the localities
where it could still be obtained in abund
ance. Following the suggestions of tn,
captive monarch, CortGs sent two soldier,
with each guide furnished by Montezuma
who went directly to the place indicated by
him, and discovered mines rudely WORKED
and streams glstening with golden sands
-Four parties went out, in as many different
directions of two of these but little nc
count is given. One, however, brought
/
of Tasco NOV still known, in the state o
Guerrero) but in the southwest, in the dis
tant province of MuiiHdItepeqte, wer,
found rich washings of gold, and the sol
diers and their guides returned well lader
with the precious metal, Now this prov
nce," continued b., IL have exactly identi
fed and precisely located it is yet called
Malinaltepec and comedies in distanc,
with that district las given by Cortes)
eighty leagues (Mexican) from the Aztec
capital.
1t is now four years since b. communi
Gated this 10 me, in that MONDAY halt be
meath the Mexican pines. He pledged m,
10 secrecy, as he had, month before, oul
companion, A., who was to serve in the ca
pacity of mineralogist Don't reveal il
until we have made the strike and secured
our claims then you may use the materia
as you like" he said
He has secured, and now monopolzes, hi